Vending machine



R. J. MORRISON VENDING MACHINE June 19, 1934.

Filed July 8. 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l /8 III [11411]] no 2 no 5 fioberfelfyorr 0 0/7,

1 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

R. J. MORRISON VENDING MACHINE June 19, 1934.

Filed July 8. 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

I ATTORNEY.

.9 F 0 barf cf. ffa/vvfyo m,

June 19, 1934. R. .1. MORRISON 1,963,443

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jegil. 0 "z I i 6 I '4 a A d as ;s 3

BY '4", r

."1 TTORNEY.

A still further object of the Patented June 19, 1934 :IUNJITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE Robert J. Morrison, Oherryville, N. 0. Application July 1933, Serial No. 679,568 '1 Claims. (01.194-63) This invention "relates to coin-controlled vending machines adapted .for vending fiat rectangular articles, and has more particular reference to improvements in the type of vending machine disclosed in'my U. S. Letters Patent No. 904,798,

dated November 24, 1908.

A More :partieularly,.the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved vending machine of that type in which an article-con- ,10 taining reservoir is mounted over a pair of stationary spaced article supports to oscillate relativeto the latter through an arc of 90 and to correspondingly shift the articles piled in crisscross fashion within the reservoir, inorder to discharge the successively lowermost article of the pile.

"An important object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of reservoiroperating mechanism including an oscillatable operating lever and means whereby the reservoir may be connected to said lever through the medium of an inserted coin or check, so that movement of the lever in either direction will effect discharge of an article.

provide an improved reservoir-operating mechanism in which theinterlocking members thereof are respectively provided with two coin slots and two coin-engaging parts that are alternate- 1y movable into alinement with thecoin chute for eifecting such discharge of an article by movement of one of said members'in either direction.

A still further object of the'invention is'to provide means controlled by the operating lever for locking the reservoir against movement when a coin is not inserted, and means whereby an inserted coin will interlock the lever and the reservoir and prevent actuation of the reservoir 4.0 lockingmeans by said lever until the reservoir has been operated toefiect the-discharge of the lowermost article. I

With the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and ar rangement of parts hereinafter more fully de-- scribed, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a view of a vending machine embodying the present invention, partly broken away, andin-vertical section.

invention is to Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2- -2 of Figure 1.

Figure'Sis a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the machine with the lower or main member .of 'the base' thereof removed.

Figure '6 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the article reservoir with its attached coin slot member.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section through'the lower portion of the article reservoir and adjacent parts to clearly show the manner in which the coin is delivered by the coin chute to the interlocking members of the reservoir operating mechanism.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,'the embodiment of the invention illustratedincludes a base'composed of a main or lower member 5, an intermediate member or section 6 provided with a dependingmarginal flange '7 and irigidly secured at 8' to the lower section 5, and an upper section 9 rigidly secured at 10 upon the inter- Q mediate section '6. These base sections are respectively provided or formed with inclined planes 10,11 and 12 which cooperate to form an inclined chute to discharge the" articles outside the casing of the machine as they are successively-released from the 'articlereser-voir.

Mounted over the upper base section 9 for oscillation about its vertical axis is an article reservoir 13 of general rectangular form in'horizontal section and provided at its corner with vertical filler ribs 14 which serve as guides to facilitate arrangement and maintenance of the flat rectangular articles 15 to be vended in crisscross fashion Within the reservoir 13.

It will be noted-that the upper base section 9 has a pair of rigid upstanding segment-shaped supporting members 16 at opposite sides of the inclined plane 12 andspaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the articles 15 and less than the length of the latter, so that the lowermost article 15 will always normally rest at its ends upon the supporting members 16 to thereby, sustain and prevent the pile of articles from normally falling out of the reservoir 13,-but so that when the reservoir 13 and the pile of articles15 between the supporting members 16 onto the inclined plane 12 to be discharged by the latter 0 13 will be correspondingly oscillated.

and the inclined planes l0 and 11 from the machine, the next article 15, which now becomes the lowest, being positioned to rest upon and to be held by the supporting members 16 until the reservoir 13 and the pie or articles are again turned through an angle of 90. It will thus be seen that as the reservoir is oscillated through an arc of 90 the articles will be successively discharged, either singly or in plurality, depending upon whether the articles are alternately crossed or arranged in crossed groups. Mounted on the lower base section 5 is a suitable casing 17 that encloses the reservoir 13 and may have a hinged cover 18 capable of being readily opened to facilitate replenishment of the articles 15 in the reservoir, and having suitable means 19 for locking the same closed so that unauthorized access to the articles in the reservoir will be prevented. The walls of reservoir 13 may be slotted as at 20 to facilitate display of the articles piled in the reservoir, the casing 1'? either being transparent or having transparent windows 21 for this purpose.

Rigid with and extending inwardly from one corner of reservoir 13 at the bottom of the latter is a radial arm 22 to the inner end of which is fixed a depending pin or shaft 23 arranged coincident with the vertical axis of reservoir 13 and journaled in a depending central bearing 24 carried by the intermediate base section 6. It will be noted that the upper base section 9 is of hollow form beneath its inclined plane 12 so as to accommodate and permit free oscillation of the arm. 20 through an arc of 90, and whereby the reservoir It will thus be apparent that in this way the reservoir 13 is mounted for oscillation as above stated.

t will be noted in Figure 1 that the pin or shaft 23 projects below the bearing 24, and mounted to I swing horizontally about the projecting lower end of this pin or shaft 23 between the lower and intermediate base sections 5 and 6 is an operating lever 25, the intermediate portion of said lever being pivotally engaged with the pin 23 between the bottom of bearing 24 and the top wall of lower base section 5. The flange 7 of intermediate base section 6 has the lower edge of its front portion cut away at 26 through an arc of 90 so as to provide a slot through which one end of lever 25 projects to the exterior of the base where it is equipped with a hand grip portion 2'7. The slot thus provided permits and limits horizontal oscillation of lever 25 through an arc of 90, so that the reservoir 13 will be correspondingly turned when lever 25 is operatively connected to said reservoir by the insertion of a coin as will presently be made apparent.

Rigidly attached at one end as at 28 to the under side of arm 22 is a horizontally disposed arcuate member 29 formed with radially positioned coin slots 30 and 31 that are spaced apart a distance of 90 so as to be alternately registered with a further coin slot 32 provided in the margin of the intermediate base section 6 as the reservoir 13 is oscillated through an arc of 90 by lever 25. As shown clearly in Figures 1 and 6, the arcuate member 29 is arranged between the inner end of lever 25 and the top of the intermediate base section 6 adjacent the margin of the latter, the top of said intermediate base section 6 being suitably cut away to permit the free oscillation of members 22 and 29 relative thereto. A suitable coin chute 33 that opens through the front of casing 17 may be extended downwardly within casing 1'7 to the coin slot 32, whereby a coin inserted in said coin chute 33 will fall by gravity to the position shown in Figure 8, wherein the coin is engaged in the particular slot 30 or 31 which happens at that particular time to be registered With the coin slot 32 of the base member 6, which latter slot has an inwardly and downwardly inclined outer wall by means of which the coin is directed inwardly from said slot 32 into the slot 30 or 31 registered therewith. As shown clearly in Figure 5, the inner end of lever 25 is provided with oppositely projecting lateral arms 34 and 35 which respectively extend to points substantially coincident with the adjacent sides of coin slots 30 and 31. Accordingly, in view of the fact that member 29 is spaced from the top of base section 5 the inserted coin will project below the slot 30 or 31 in which it has been received and rest upon the top of said base section 5 in the path of the adjacent end of the associated lever arm 34 or 35, as the case may be. By this means, the reservoir will be connected to the lever 25 through the medium of the inserted coin or check, so that the reservoir may be turned through an arc of 90 to effect the discharge of an article regardless of the direction in which the reservoir may be turned. It will be noted in Figure l that the top of the lower or main base section 5 is provided with slots 36 and 37 at opposite sides of and at a distance of 90 from the coin slot 32 of base section 6 to permit the inserted coin to fall by gravity from the coin slot 31 and out of the path of lever arm 35 as soon as the reservoir 13 is turned to effect the discharge of the lowermost article by swinging of the lever 25 from the position of Figure 3 in the direction of the arrow to its opposite limit of movement, and to permit the coin next inserted to fall from the coin slot 30 and out of the path of lever arm 34 when the reservoir is subsequently turned in the opposite direction by swinging movement of the lever 25 back to its position of Figure 3. In other words, with the parts positioned asshown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the coin slot 31 of member 29 is registered with the coin slot 32 of base member 6 so that a coin deposited in chute 33 will be directed into the coin slot 31 of member 29 so as to rest upon the top of base member 5 in the path of lever arm 35. Under such circumstances, lever 25 will be connected by the inserted coin with the member 29 so that swinging movement of lever 25 in the direction of the arrow from the position of Figure 3 will effect turning of reservoir 13 through an arc of 90 for effecting discharge of the lowermost article 15 in the reservoir, the coin slot 31 being brought into registry with the slot 36 at the completion of the swing-.

ing movement of lever 25 and the turning movement of reservoir 13 so that the inserted coin will fall from. the coin slot 31 and out of the path of lever arm 35 to effect disconnection of lever 25 from member 29 whereby actuation of lever 29 received by coin slot 30 so as to rest upon the top,

of base section 5 in the path of lever arm 34, thereby interlocking the lever 25 and member 29 so that the reservoir 13 may be turned in a re-' verse direction for eiiecting discharge of said sucmachine maybe prevented.

ceeding article when the lever 25 isswung back to the position of Figure 3. Obviously, when the "reservoir and lever reach their limit of movement 'upon being returned to. their position of. Figure 3, the coin slot 30 willhavebeenregissorted with slot 37 so as to permit the insertedcoin to fall from coinslot 30 and out of the path.

of lever arm .34, thereby disconnecting the lever 25 fromthe member 29 and preventing turning of reservoir 13 by swinging movement of lever 25 'until still another coin is inserted. At the same time, the coin slot 31 willhave, been. moved into registry with the coin slot 32 'sothat the machine will'be reset for further-operation inthe manner described. Any suitable-form of collection receptacle may be provided in the base section'5 to receive the coins as they'drop through the "slots 36'and'37. upon each actuation: of the machine. vAs shown, the base-section has apart in the form of a removable draw 38- constituting the collection receptacle for .the coin deposited in the machine, suitable means being provided at 39 to lock the draw in closed position so that unauthorized access-to the coins deposited in the While the reservoir 13 may not be turned to effeet the discharge of an article, by operation of lever 25, when no coin'is positioned to interlock lever and member 29, it is apparent-thatswinging movement of lever 25 to either limit of its movement and relative'toreservoir 13 should not be permitted, it being necessary to insure that the lever. 25 is positioned. in proper relation to member 29 at all timesand so that uponthe insertion of a coin the lever 25 may be promptly moved in the right direction so as toturn the reservoir in the proper direction toefiect the discharge. of the lowermost article in the reservoir.

Means is accordingly provided to lock the reser" voir 13 and'member 29 against turning and to prevent swinging movement of lever 25 from one limit to the other should an-attempt be made to swing thelever 25 without first inserting a coin in the chute33 or when a coin is not positioned to interlock the lever 25 and member 29. This means includes a double-ended or double-acting catch 40 arranged at the inner side of arcuate member 29 between the coin slots and 31 of the latter and resting at itsends in recesses 41-provided in the top of member 29 at'the inner sidesof slots 30 and 31, the intermediate portion of catch being provided in its loweredge with a :doubleended cam notch 42 in which is engaged a third arm 43 rigid with and projecting from the inner end of lever 25 intermediate the arms'34 and 35. The catch 40 is also providedintermediateitsends with a vertical elongated slot 44 in which is loosely engaged an inwardly projecting pin 45 carried by the member 29, whereby the catch 40 is held assembled to the member 29 in-a mannerto have free limited vertical movement relative to the'latter while being restrained against sidewise movement in a'direction transverse to the pin 45 andlever arm 43. It will be further noted in Figure 6' that the top of base member '6' is provided on the under side thereof" and at opposite sides of its coin slot 32 with a series of notches or teeth 46;

the; arrangement being such that'one end of catch 40-is disposedbeneath the notchesat one side oi" coin-slot 32 when thecoinv slot 31 is regi'stered'with the latteras inFigure 6, and such-that the-other end of catch -40. will .be positioned beneath the notches 465at the other'side. of coinslot :32 when coinslot v.30 is registered with the latter upon. shifting -,of-..the partsby swinging the lever 25' and turning the'rescrvoir 13 through anarc of the parts are positioned as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, it will be apparent that an attempt to swing lever 25 will result in movement of .therarm 43 to the right of Figure 6 so as to elevate the (right hand end of catch 40 into engagement with the adjacent notches 46 of the base member 6=before lever 25 has been moved an appreciable distance, thereby effectively-locking the member 29 and reservoir 13v against turning movement relative to the base of themachine and at the same timcpreventing any further swinging movementof lever 25 relative to member 29 and reservoir 13. On'the other hand, should a coin be properly inserted to interlock lever arm 35 and member 29 before attempting to swing lever 25, such coin will effectively prevent movement of leverarm 43 relative to member 29 so that the catch 40 will not 'be actuated to engage its operative end with the notches46, thereby permitting the lever to then be swung for turning the member 29 and reservoir 13 toieffect the discharge of an article. At the completion of the latter operation, it will be apparent that the coin slot 30 will have been moved into registry with coin slot 32 and the opposite end of catch 40 will have been positioned beneath the notches 46 at the opposite side of coin slot 32 so that if an attempt is made to swing .lever 25 back'to its original position without first inserting a coin, the lever arm 43 will actuate the catch 40 so as to engage its left hand end with the notches 46 to prevent such swinging of lever 25 and to lock the member 29 and reservoir 13 against turning; At the same time, the latter swinging movement of lever 25 and turning movement of reservoir 13 and member'29 may be effected if a coin is inserted to interlock lever arm 34 and member 29 so that lever arm 43 may not move relative to member 29 to actuate catch'40. It will of course be imderstood that catch 40 lowers by gravity to normally assume an inoperative position. Also, when one end of the catch 40 is lifted by movement of lever arm 43 relative to'said catch 40, said catch simply swings bodily-about the point at which the'opposite end of said catch rests upon'the bottom of the recess 41 in which it is engaged.

In the actualconstruction of a machine of the present kind it will be impossibleto prevent a certain amount of lost motion between"-'associ ated' parts such as would ordinarily permit relative vibration of the reservoir 13 and lever 25 about their axes. In order to overcome this and avoid any objectionable rattling, yieldable means are provided to hold the lever'25 and reservoir 13at rest in their respective limits of movement until forcibly shifted therefrom. Such means for the lever 25 consists of a helical tension spring 4'7 that may be arranged in the base section 5 and attached at one end to the lever 25 and at its opposite end to the top wall of said base section 5 so that as the lever 25 is swung member 29 exposed through a slot inthe top wall. Off base section 5, andat the upper end to said.

top wall of base section 5. In this case the spring 45 is arranged so as to pass the center of rotation or the axis about which. the reservoir 13 and member 29 turn, thereby acting to assist in the final movement of reservoir 13 and member 29 to either limit of movement to which they may be turning, and to yieldingly hold them at such limit of movement.

Briefly described, the operation of the machine is as follows:

When a coin is inserted in the chute 33 with the parts positioned as shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, it will be directed through coin slot 32 into coin slot 31 and so as to rest upon the topof base section 5 in the path of lever arm 35, thereby locking the lever 25 and member 29 together. Upon manipulation of the lever 25 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3, the reservoir l3 and member 29 will be turned about their axis through an arc of 90 to effect the discharge of the lowermost article 15. When the lever movement is completed, the coin slot 30 will have been brought into registry with coin slot 32 and coin slot 31 will have been moved into registry with the slot 36 of base member 5 so that the coin above mentioned will be allowed to fall into the collection receptacle 38 and thereby effect disconnection of lever 25 from member 29. The parts are now in position for another operation so that when a coin is inserted in chute 33 it will be directed into the coin slot 30 of member 29 to rest upon the top of base section 5 in the path of lever arm 34, again locking the lever 25 and member 29 together. Upon manipulation of the lever 25 for returning it to its original position as illustrated in Figure 3, the member 29 and reservoir 13 will be turned backwardly through an arc of 9 so as to effect the discharge of the next succeeding article 15 which has become the lowermost article in the reservoir. As before stated, partial movement of lever 25 relative to member 29 from either end of its path of oscillation toward the other end thereof will efiect actuation of catch 40 to effectively prevent such movement of lever 25 when a coin is not inserted to interlock and prevent material relative movement of lever 25 and member 29, or when such movement of the lever is not participated in by the reservoir, the actuation of catch 40 also securely locking the member 29 and reservoir 13 against turning.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes are contemplated in the particular form and arrangement of parts illustrated and described, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a vending machine, a reservoir capable of oscillation about its an operating lever for said reservoir capable of a like movement normally disconnected from but adapted to be operatively connected to the reservoir, and means operable by said lever when the lever is disconnected. from the reservoir to lock said lever against movement from either end of its path of oscillation to the other end thereof and to simultaneously lock the reservoir against oscillation.

2. In a vending machine, a stationary part, a reservoir capable of oscillation about its axis relative to said stationary part, an operating lever for said reservoir capable of a like movement and normally disconnected from but adapted to be operatively connected to the reservoir, and means movable by said lever into engagement with the stationary part when the lever is disconnected from the reservoir to lock said lever against movement from either end of its path of oscillation to the other end thereof.

3. In a. vending machine, a stationary part, a reservoir capable of oscillation about its axis relative to said stationary part, an operating lever for said reservoir capable of a like movement and normally disconnected from but adapted to be operatively connected to the reservoir, and means movable by said lever into engagement with the stationary part when the lever is disconnected from the reservoir to lock said lever against movement from either end of its path of oscillation to the other end thereof, and to simultaneously lock said reservoir against oscillation.

4. In a vending machine, a stationary part, a reservoir capable of oscillation about its axis relative to said stationary part, an operating lever for said reservoir capable of a like movement and normally disconnected from but adapted to be operatively connected to the reservoir, and means movable by said lever into engagement with the stationary part when the lever is disconnected from the reservoir to lock said lever against movement from either end of its path of oscillation to the other end thereof, and to simultaneously lock said reservoir against oscillation, said last-named means including a catch mounted for oscillation with the reservoir.

5. In a vending machine, a stationary base shaped to provide an inclined discharge chute and a pair of stationary upstanding article supports at opposite sides of the upper end of said chute, a reservoir mounted over the upper end of said base and said supports for oscillation about its axis relative to said base, said reservoir being formed to receive and retain a pile of oblong articles arranged in criss-cross fashion, said supports being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the articles and less than the length thereof to release and sustain the successive articles as the reservoir is oscillated and the pile of articles. are turned therewith, and coin-controlled mechanism for oscillating said reservoir including an arm rigid with and extend- 1 ing inwardly from the lower end of the reservoir and journaled within the base and a coin slot member rigidly carried by and movable with said arm.

6. In a vending machine, a stationary base, a

reservoir mounted for oscillation about its axis upon and relative to said base, said base having a coin slot and coin discharge openings at opposite sides of said coin slot, 2. member connected discharge openings of the base when the reservoir reaches an end of its path'of oscillation to release the coin and thereby effect disconnection of the lever from said coin slot member, and a catch operatively connected to said lever and movable by the latter into engagement with the base upon beginning movement of said lever in either direction when such movement is not participated in by the reservoir and saidcoin slot member, whereby said lever is locked against material movement from either end of its path of oscillation unless the lever and coin slot member are connected by a coin. V

7. In a vending machine, a stationary base, a reservoir mounted for oscillation about its axis upon and relative to said base, said base having a coin slot'and coin discharge openings at opposite sides of said coin slot, a member connected to the reservoir for oscillation therewith and having spaced coin slots arranged to alternately register with the coin slot of the base to receive a coin deposited in the latter when the reservoir is alternately moved to the opposite ends of its path of oscillation, a lever operativelyconnectible,

to said coin slot member by a coin received in either coin slot of the latter from the coin slot of the base, each coin slot of said coin slot member being arranged 'to register with one of the coin discharge openings of the base when the reservoir reachesan end of its path of oscillation to release the coin and thereby effect disconnection of the lever from said coin slot member, and a catch operatively connected to said lever and movable by the latter into engagement with the base upon beginning movement of said lever in either direction when such movement is not participated in by the reservoir and said coin slot member, whereby said lever is locked against ma- 7 t'erial movement from either end of its path of 

